Charlie-divided? Poll shows over 40% of French oppose Mohammed cartoons

General view of the street where police and fire fighters work in front of the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical newspaper, after a shooting January 7, 2015 (Reuters / Philippe Wojazer) / Reuters

While 5 million copies of Charlie Hebdo went like hot cakes, almost half of the French population do not support publishing the Prophet Mohammed cartoons, a new poll revealed.

Forty-two percent of
respondents see Mohammed cartoons as offensive and fifty percent
say they back "limitations on free speech online and on
social networks," according to an Ifop poll, the results of
which were published by Le Journal du Dimanche, a French
weekly newspaper.

However 57 percent supported the publication of Mohammed
caricatures, thus stepping in “for freedom of
expression,” according to the survey.

The survey was conducted last week following Paris shootings
which killed 17 people. The attacks started in the HQ of Charlie
Hebdo newspaper where 12 people, including four notable
cartoonists, were shot dead.

The poll showed, that the majority of the French – about 81
percent - said they welcome the idea of stripping nationality
from those with dual citizenship who committed terror act on
French soil.

Sixty eight percent also supported banishing the country’s
citizens from returning to France if "they are suspected of
having gone to fight in countries or regions controlled by
terrorist groups" such as Syria or Iraq.

When asked if they favor sending French military into Libya,
Syria and Yemen, 57 percent answered “No”.

On Wednesday, Charlie Hebdo's post-attack edition, featuring the
Prophet Mohammed shedding a tear while holding a "Je Suis
Charlie" sign, was published. Surviving journalists
initially expected a million of copies to be sold, but now the
issue is aiming at a target of 7 million copies, a far cry from
the usual 60,000 circulation.

The issue immediately sparked outrage from Muslims and Islamist
groups.

After Friday prayers were held across the Muslim word, people
gathered for rallies in Algeria, Syria, India and The
Philippines. In Jordan there were clashes with police as
demonstrators tried to march to the French embassy, while in
Pakistan's Karachi police used tear gas to disperse a crowd of
some 200 people.

Niger, a former French colony, saw the most violent
demonstrations. Eight Christian churches were set on fire and
ransacked as Muslims were protesting against Charlie Hebdo’s
satirical cartoons targeting Islam. At least ten people were
killed in Friday and Saturday protests, police said.